They may not have won the Western National Archery tournament, but the group of young archers from Trout Creek most certainly did win something of equal value in the long run: the respect and support of their fellow Montanans.

After winning the Montana state middle school championship last month, the team of 20 fourth through eighth graders advanced to the Western Nationals of the National Archery in Schools Program in Sandy, Utah this past weekend and finished 24th out of 27 teams.

In doing so, they collectively scored 2,918 points, including 67 bull's- eyes.

Not bad for a team that has been in competitive existence for just over a year.

“Our Eagles did very well and we are very, very proud of all of them,” said Preston Wenz of the Trout Creek Archery Club. “What they have accomplished in a program that is just a little over a year old is absolutely amazing. They represented very well in a super tough competition. The one team that either won Western Nationals or finished second has done the NASP program for seventeen plus years. Super proud of these kids”.

In winning the Montana competition and earning a spot in the Western Nationals, the Trout Creek club also produced four 2023 Montana state champions.

Sophie Hardman, one of the four state champions, led the team with 275 at the Western Nationals with 276 points out of 300 possible. She had a team high 13 tens, the value awarded for a shot in the bulls-eye, or inner circle of the targets.

Archers shoot a total of 30 arrows during the competitions, with half coming from 10 meters and half from 15 meters away.

Hardman’s score ranked 38 out of 313 middle school age girls. Most of the Trout Creek team attends Trout Creek School, but several are also home schooled in the area.

Micheaela Everett had the second best score among the TCAC members with a 261 (10 tens), while Jack Everett, who was also a Montana state champ, shot a 259 with nine bulls eyes.

The team received a series of send-offs as they traveled through Sanders County on their way to Utah last week, then again as they returned home this past Sunday.

“This is just the first trip to Western Nationals of many more to come,” Wenz said. “Heads high Eagles. You represented yourselves, your families and your state very well”.